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Rick Reilly: I participated in Paterno hagiography

Discussion in 'Sports and News' started by Double Down, Jul 14, 2012.

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  1. Boom_70

    Boom_70 Well-Known Member

    Really strong column. This has been discussed many times on SJ with much disagreement but I have much respect for columnist who are willing to admit they were wrong when the find out that the story was not what they thought. When Bill Plaske wrote a column admitting he that he got it wrong on the MLB PED scandal many here felt that column was self serving. Perhaps they are but it does build a trust with the readers. I doubt that you will ever see Luppy write such a column.
     
    Boom_70, Jul 14, 2012
    #13
  2. Mizzougrad96

    Mizzougrad96 Active Member

    Yeah, that was brilliant and powerful.
     
    Mizzougrad96, Jul 14, 2012
    #14
  3. Baron Scicluna

    Baron Scicluna Well-Known Member

    Excellent column, and I'll note, he's also calling for PSU to receive the death penalty. Guess he's not too concerned about the coffee shop waitresses.
     
    Baron Scicluna, Jul 14, 2012
    #15
  4. Chef2

    Chef2 Well-Known Member

    Very good column.
     
    Chef2, Jul 14, 2012
    #16
  5. TigerVols

    TigerVols Well-Known Member

    Funny but I don't recall -- not that I've read too many columns about PedoStateU, I admit -- someone calling Paterno a coward before.

    Hadn't occurred to me, but that's exactly what he was. A despicable coward.
     
    TigerVols, Jul 14, 2012
    #17
  6. mediaguy

    mediaguy Well-Known Member

    I'm usually among the Reilly-mailing-it-in crowd, but this was well done. Personalized it at just the right level.
     
    mediaguy, Jul 14, 2012
    #18
  7. Mizzougrad96

    Mizzougrad96 Active Member

    I think I may be coming around to the "give the program the death penalty" way of thinking...
     
    Mizzougrad96, Jul 14, 2012
    #19
  8. poindexter

    poindexter Well-Known Member

    This isn't the Rick Reilly I know. The Rick Reilly I know makes bad puns and teeth jokes and rehashes columns. I like this new Rick Reilly.
     
    poindexter, Jul 14, 2012
    #20
  9. The Big Ragu

    The Big Ragu Moderator Staff Member

    That was super strong. I don't read Rick Reilly if I can help it anymore, but that was a reminder of what he is capable of.

    That said, and I am not just playing devil's advocate. ... It is really easy to kick someone when they are down. It is even easier to kick them when they are out.

    Now that Paterno is gone, and the court of public opinion is ruling him to be a monster, it isn't all that difficult to write these kinds of columns. Which is why we are seeing them. I know we know a lot more about the man's behavior and actions today than we did before the report, but my question is, would Reilly have had to the guts to write something even a smidge as negative as this if Paterno was still alive and as powerful as he was?

    I do respect the column. It was the right thing to write, and it was well done. But basically Reilly admitted to slurping the guy when he was alive and riding on top of the world, and now he is another columnist lining up to kick him when he is dead and his carcass is being dragged around behind the car.

    It was well written. But. ...
     
    The Big Ragu, Jul 14, 2012
    #21
  10. Mizzougrad96

    Mizzougrad96 Active Member

    Well, I think most of us can get caught up in painting certain pictures of the guys who we cover. In 1986, I'd bet you'd have to have been a serious insider to have heard anything but praise about Paterno. Sometimes people want to hear and journalists want to write that some legendary coach is as great a person as they are a coach. I get that.
     
    Mizzougrad96, Jul 14, 2012
    #22
  11. Armchair_QB

    Armchair_QB Well-Known Member

    You could probably make the case that if he ws alive and still powerful nobody would be writing these columns because no one would have found out the truth.

    You can't admit a mistake until you know you've made one.
     
    Armchair_QB, Jul 14, 2012
    #23
  12. Double Down

    Double Down Well-Known Member

    I thought Drew Magary made an interesting point about the death penalty, and why he was against it: It will give the program and the fan base a gigantic martyr complex, and make it easier for them to feel like they are victims too in all this.
     
    Double Down, Jul 14, 2012
    #24
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